Rapha Rising Ride #2 - Mount Seymour

A lot of planning went into this ride.

I had learned from the Festive 500 in December that family support is crucial for me to complete these challenges. I can't imagine completing the challenge without the support of my wife and our three kids.

I had spent some time planning a picnic lunch at the top of Mount Seymour and checking out playgrounds in Deep Cove so the kids had something to do while I was turning myself inside out up the mountain. Then they could drive up in the car and meet for lunch.

The climb up Mount Seymour was certainly a challenge. According to Strava's classification, the Mount Seymour climb was rated an HC, the hardest climb possible.  I had never rode my bike up anything close before. I found my rhythm early and just kept churning along around 12-13 km/h. I am inexperienced when it comes to long climbs like these, so I wasn't really willing to go too hard. Mount Seymour Road has markers every kilometre with the elevation on them. It was nice to see how far and how high I had ridden as I went along. Yet they were useless at the the same time because I didn't know what the end point was.

After a nice picnic lunch and some brief exploring the kids were loaded back in the car. Of course I could have loaded the bike on the car at this point, but you know that wasn't going to happen!

The descent was awesome of course. My wife managed to take a picture out the front window of the car as she was following me down the hill.

Next stop Cypress!

Rapha Rising Ride #1 - Burnaby Mountain

I chose Burnaby Mountain for my first big climb of the Rapha Rising challenge. It's the closest "mountain" that I can ride to in a decent amount of time. It's still nearly an hour of riding before I hit the base of Burnaby Mountain.

The climb up is fairly straight forward. The road has wide shoulders and a fairly consistent gradient of 7-8%. I rode in the later part of the afternoon, so it was awfully hot. The sun was beating on me almost the entire way up. I didn't feel the greatest on the way up and it was reflected in my time. I knew I would be tired having worked overnight Sunday and only catching a few hours of sleep Monday morning.

The descent is a lot of fun, although as always far to short for the amount of effort required to get to the top.

Tomorrow I'm planning to head over to the North Shore to find some of the really big climbs.

The Circle of Death

The Circle of Death

It sounds kind of macabre for a cycling blog. However it only refers to the next challenge on Strava, Rapha Rising.

Rapha Rising challenges users to climb 6,881 metres, which happens to be the same amount of climbing the professionals riding the Tour de France will cover on Stage 16, The Circle of Death.



Stage 16 - 2012 Tour de France



The Circle of Death contains for extremely difficult climbs in the Pyrenees. The Col d'Aubisque (1,709m), Col du Tourmalet (2,114m), Col d'Aspin (1,489m), and Col de Peyresourde (1,569m) are all tackled in one day during the last week of the Tour de France.

Luckily, Rapha has given mere mortals like you and I eight days (Jul 16 - 22) to complete the challenge.

The Plan

I have to balance the requirements of the challenge with my work schedule and family life so it could get tricky.

Burnaby Mountain is a big part of my plan. It's not spectacular when compared to Pyrenees, but it's close to home. It would nice to tackle more big mountains, but it's tough to find the time for that.

Monday (July 16)

I work from midnight until 8:00 am Monday, so it's a tough start to the challenge. I hope to be up in the early afternoon, and I'll start things off with a ride up Burnaby Mountain to SFU.
Elevation gain: ~1000m

Tuesday or Wednesday (July 17/18)

Tuesday or Wednesday is going to be the big mountain day. I'm going to try to work in a ride up Cypress, Seymour, or Baker. I'll likely only have a chance to ride one of them and I'm still trying to work out the details. I'll likely do a smaller ride on the other day to gain a few hundred metres extra.
Elevation gain: ~2000m

Thursday (July 19)

On the ride in to work I'll make the detour to climb Burnaby Mountain.
Elevation gain: ~1000m

Friday (July 20)

I like rest days and Friday is a pretty good day to take one because of how my work schedule is.

Saturday (July 21)

A glorious Saturday at work should feature ascents of Burnaby Mountain before and after work.
Elevation gain: ~2000m

Sunday (July 22)

The final day of the challenge I'm volunteering for the Valley GranFondo as a Ride Ambassador. I have to ride the 160 km route on my bike and provide directions or minor mechanical help to the participants.
Elevation gain: ~900m

The Execution

If my estimates prove correct, I should have no trouble completing the challenge. Stay tuned for updates! I could win a patch or maybe even a Trek Madone 6.9.

Race Report - Barry's Roubaix

I was looking forward to Barry's Roubaix for several weeks. I felt good about my results in the Spring Series. I had won the novice race at River Road and did well sticking with C Group a week later.

It was a tough pill to swallow when I ended up with flu symptoms Friday afternoon. My wife had picked up something at work Thursday and despite our best efforts, two of my kids and I fell ill as well. Two sleepless nights with a fever isn't really the best lead up to a race.

I drew inspiration from Joshua Weiss, an accomplished cyclocross racer, who recently completed the Chuckanut 50, his first ultra marathon while under the influence of strep throat. Although he likely invested a lot more time preparing for his ultra marathon than I did for Barry's Roubiax, it's hard to let a non-life threatening illness get in the way. The weather was supposed to be pretty good, so I  decided I would race.

Waiting for the Category 3/4 race to start. Then it's our turn!

The novice men and women and the under 17 categories were combined, which meant we started with a field of 11. I took a couple Advil and a gel before the start and felt pretty good on the first lap. Our group thinned out quickly on the first lap as a rider crashed near the back of the group on the first lap, and the novice women and an under 17 rider fell back. Our first trip through the gravel was uneventful, although we passed a Category 3/4 rider with a flat tire. I jumped off the front as we approached our second trip through the gravel. It didn't amount to much at all. I could feel the lack of sleep in my legs and the desire just wasn't there.

A couple of the guys were setting the pace the whole race and they kept trying to wave people through to take a pull and complaining about nobody wanting to work. Despite their complaints, they resumed their pace making duties whenever their offer was declined. I felt there was no need to cooperate as there was no breakaway to close down. Perhaps I was wrong but to me, this is racing and there is no need for me to work for anyone.

Our group was down to 6 riders by the time we got the bell lap. I was sitting on the back just trying to finish things out. As we entered the final kilometre or so, there was a pretty big acceleration and I stuck with the group, bumping elbows with a guy to maintain position. He apologized and I gave him my best "I'm on the rivet at 38 km/h shrug" and said, "That's racing." Shortly after that, another acceleration came and at this point I just didn't have anymore to give. I wasn't mentally able to push myself to keep up and my legs didn't feel like cooperating either.

I finished 5th in the novice men's category. A pretty good result for being sick...except there were only 6 starters in the category.

On the plus side, I was happy with the 35 km/h average speed. Half of the race was on gravel and I was sick. I figured my speed might be a little slower. I've never really sustained much contact while riding the bike, so not going down in a heap when bumping elbows at speed is also a good thing to take away.

Despite the lessons I learned from Joshua's blog, I was pretty much mentally defeated during the race. I spent too much time dwelling on how I couldn't do well because I was sick and how I was tired and had to work that night. Also, I definitely need to work on my cornering. I wasn't ever happy with the line or my speed exiting the gravel dyke and getting back on the roadway. I had to chase back to the group every time. Perhaps my mental state had something to do with that as well.

It was definitely a tough race personally, but I enjoyed the course and the event was run smoothly. One thing that did bother me was even though we had fancy timing chips supplied by Cycling BC, there is no timing data available. I figured I would be able to see my lap times and the time gaps. Perhaps that information will be available in the future?

Doug Brons again took some great pictures of the race, I haven't seen any others posted on the internet yet. Local Ride has a detailed report on the other categories and the full results here.

Thanks for reading!

 

Race Preview - Barry's Roubaix 2012

Roubaix.

Someone outside of the cycling world would probably give you a strange look hearing the word. However, a fan of professional cycling will instantly recognize the name.

Paris-Roubaix is one of cycling's oldest races, the first edition was run in 1896. It is well known for the many sections of cobblestones that are featured throughout the nearly 260 kilometre route. Also known as l'enfer du Nord, the Hell of the North, the race is also known for extreme weather. Dry and dusty or wet and muddy, the weather is always a factor.

Paris-Roubaix cobblestones

The Lower Mainland isn't exactly known for it's cobblestone roads, so the chances of a race similar to Paris-Roubaix is almost non-existent. Luckily we have the next best thing.

Local Ride Bike Shop, in Maple Ridge, has been organizing Barry's Roubaix for the past three years. Inspired by the European classic, the roads and dykes of Pitt Meadows are transformed into a race course on the same Sunday as Paris-Roubaix.

The Course

The course has been updated and moved to a new location for 2012. According to the Local Ride Bike Shop website, a high permit cost at the original location is the reason for the change. Starting on Kennedy Road near the Pitt Meadows BMX track, the race will be contested over a 10 kilometre loop which features 5 kilometres of gravel dykes and 5 kilometres of paved roads. The previous two editions included only 4 kilometres of gravel.

This year the location of the start/finish line is the biggest change. The old course started and finished near the Pitt Meadows Airport, after exiting the gravel section it was nearly 6 kilometres of pavement before you hit the line. This year it is completely opposite. The finish line is very close to the exit from the gravel.

Barry's Roubaix 2012

It almost seemed that the race would end with two laps of the Pitt Meadows BMX track, however it was only a cruel April Fools joke.

The Weather

As in the real Paris-Roubaix, the weather can play a huge factor in the outcome of the race. Spring weather in the Lower Mainland is notoriously inconsistent.

The first edition of Barry's Roubaix, in 2010, was raced under beautiful conditions. The wind picked up a little in the afternoon but that was all. In 2011 the weather was the complete opposite. It rained for almost the entire race.

At the moment the weather looks pretty good for the Easter long weekend. However, the Environment Canada forecast can be a tad innaccurate.

The Details

Registration closes at 4:00 pm on Saturday, April 7, so there is still time to particpate in this Lower Mainland classic. Registration is offered online at karelo.com

If you just want to head out to cheer on your favorite rider, here are the start times.

8:30 am: Cat 3/4 Men, 8 laps

8:35 am: Cat 3/4 Women, 6 laps

8:37 am: Novice Men, 4 laps

8:38 am: Novice Women, 4 laps

11:00 am: Cat 1/2 Men, 12 laps

11:05 am: Cat 1/2 Women, 10 laps

10:30 am: U17, 2 half laps

Predictions

The new course should make for an interesting race, watch for attacks in the gravel section creating enough of a gap to win. A chase group will not be able to use the paved roads to close down a gap with the finish being so close to the gravel section.

Garneau Evolution, Trek Red Truck Racing, and Team H&R Block will all likely be on hand in the Cat 1/2 Men's race.  Garneau Evolution has picked up 5 wins already this year. Curtis Dearden, last year's winner, now riding for Russ Hay's/Accent Inns has to be considered a favourtie. His new team has also picked up some early wins this year. Although it is uncertain if they will be making the trip over from Vancouver Island.

The Local Ride / Dr. Vie Superfoods+ women's team will likely be out in force in the Women's Race looking to continue their winning streak at Barry's Roubaix.

Barry's Roubaix always delivers a great experience for the participants as well as the spectators. It's a great way to enjoy some local racing after watching Paris-Roubaix on the television or internet. See you there!

Race Report - Spring Series #2 (Aldergrove Long)

It was another cold and dreary Sunday morning. The perfect day for another spring bike race.

The second race of the Escape Velocity Spring Series was out in Aldergrove. There was no novice category offered at this race, so I was going to race with the C Group, a step up in difficulty. The course was also significantly more difficult than last week's River Road course.

Five laps of the 10.2 kilometre circuit was scheduled for the C Group. The 1.7 km climb up 272nd Street had an average grade of 2.9% with some sections greater than 10%. Also the long stretch along 0 Avenue was sure to feature some significant winds.

View Aldergrove Long RR in a larger map 

The Race


My wife dropped me off in Aldergrove and I rode down to the course. Of course it was raining. Registration was smooth and painless as usual. I love internet registration. In my books that is the best improvement Escape Velocity has made to the Spring Series.

The inclement weather didn't seem to deter anyone from racing. There were probably 40-50 people out to race in the C category. Fort Langley Cyclery was represented again. Jon and Dave had decided to move up to the harder group as well. We noticed several other novice racers from last week had made the same decision.

After the standard pre-race pep talk, we were off. It was pretty impressive riding in such a large peleton. This was easily the largest race I had ever ridden in.

The speed ramped up the first time the peleton rounded the corner and headed up 272nd Ave, which was pretty amazing but the entire race was still ahead of us. The road surface is fairly bumpy on the lower parts but throughout the race someone was always ready to put the hammer down and accelerate out of that corner. There was quite a bit of shifting about as the peleton went up the hill; definitely tricky to find a steady wheel to follow.

The pace was bearable the first few laps, the most challenging part was riding in such a large group. I was trying my best to hold my line through the corners and ride steady. It appeared several people need to practice this. A few people seriously deviated from their lines while grabbing their bottles or food.

Positioning was a bit tricky along 0 Ave. There was a strong crosswind and everyone wanted to ride in the gutter. I managed to stay out of the wind on most of the laps. I did get stuck a couple times in the wind, and the riding was definitely harder.

I don't really identify myself as a climber, but the steepest sections of the 272nd hill went fairly well for me.  A couple of times I went up in a gear that was far too easy. I was spinning like mad but not really keeping pace with the group. I fell behind a little bit and had to ride pretty hard with a couple of others to catch back on to the main group. At that point, the start of lap 3, I surveyed who was left and noticed Jon and I were the only ones left from last weeks novice group. That made me feel pretty good.

The next time up the hill, I rode a harder gear and it made it easier to stay with the group albeit a little harder on me. Jon managed to end up on the front of the peleton on the fourth lap and did a good job setting the tempo along 8th Ave. The fourth lap was to be my undoing however.

The usual acceleration out of the corner up 272nd Ave really put me on my limit. I knew I was going to be in trouble on the steeper sections. I tried my best to catch my breath, but I was dropped in short order. Another rider was dropped along with me and I tried my best to work with him to catch up. After a couple pulls with him, I told him I wasn't going to make it and away he went.

I looked back as I rode down Bradner Road and saw a couple guys in the distance behind me. I sat up and rode slow catching my breath hoping we could work together along 0 Ave. They got closer and I was a bit dismayed to see the familar pink and black jerseys of the Garneau Evolution team. It was the A Group breakaway. Riding alone in the wind wasn't as bad as I thought and I managed to keep the C Group in sight until they rounded the corner up 272nd.

The rest of the A Group passed me just as the steep final section began. I rode easy up the hill the final time and probably finished several minutes down. Jon managed to stay with the bunch until the finale, although he didn't really play a factor. Dave was unfortunately dropped after about a lap and a half, but he still finished the race riding solo for the majority of the time. A good training ride as he put it.

Overall, I enjoyed the experience of racing in the C Group. Although the win last week in the novice category was fun, I enjoyed the hard work of the race and I was definitely satisfied with my performance. I'm pretty confident with a little more work, I'll be able to stick with the main peleton throughout the race.

The race results are here (only the top five) and Doug Brons photos from the race can be found here.

Race Report - Spring Series #1 (River Road)

I looked out the window and watched the raindrops fall as I ate my breakfast Sunday morning. Oatmeal with blueberries, raisins and some almonds, thrown in for good measure, is my usual race day breakfast. My sophomore bike racing season was about to begin later that day near Fort Langley.

As I mentioned in my previous post, Team Escape Velocity Cycling Club was hosting the first race of the 2012 Spring Series. I had registered in the novice category, scheduled for 5 laps of the 6.2 kilometre course. I had convinced some friends to sign up as well. Jon, one of the owners of Fort Langley Cyclery, had decided to give racing a try. Dave, who raced with me last year in the Spring Series, was returning for another year.

Dave racing in the 2011 Spring Series

At the start line we almost looked a little too professional. Jon, Dave, and I were all in matching black and white Fort Langley Cyclery kit; sharks among goldfish perhaps? It was all too true as everyone, except Dave and I, raised their hands when asked if it was their first race. Shortly after that, we were off!

The first lap was a little nerve-wracking; the wind was buffeting us pretty good along River Road and up 264th Street. The wind died down a little along the back half of the course, probably due to the trees lining both sides of the road. On the second lap as we entered the back straight, I attacked out of the corner. I quickly opened a gap and nobody seemed to be chasing. I settled into a steady pace, but it was quite windy out on my own. I quickly decided this wasn't the smartest choice of action, so I eased up and allowed the group to catch me after about a 1/2 lap. It was fun to be out on the attack, but I don't think I have the fitness to ride solo for 3 laps.

The lone junior rider that was out with us went down on the fourth lap, and the guy behind him got tangled up and went down too. Dave and I were right behind the pair that crashed, but managed to avoid any trouble. It seemed like everyone was alright.  I didn't hear any screams of pain, only the sound of a tire releasing it's air. I never really found out what caused the accident.

Jon found himself stranded on the front for the first half of the final lap. I was chuckling to myself as he weaved from one side of the road to the other like something out of the Tour de France. Eventually, he was able to pull off and someone else took up the pace. I figured nobody would be attacking so I started thinking about the sprint. I knew Jon had practiced his final sprint prior to the race so I decided to follow his wheel. As we came out of the last corner, I jumped on another wheel.  It seemed like he was about to go, so I wound myself up for the sprint. Unfortunately he pulled off rather quickly and left me out of options. I opened up really early and went as hard as I could. I was pretty much out of gas with 100m to go but I glanced back and no one was close. I had accomplished the mission and won a race!

It's blurry but I have to give my wife credit for even getting a picture of me at the finish.
Keeping three kids happy at a bike race is a big job.

It turns out Jon was able to grab second place and out of nowhere, Dave picked up third. A podium sweep in the novice race for Fort Langley Cyclery! We all got a good chuckle out of that.

It was a good race.  We completed the race in about an hour with an average speed just under 34 km/h . Obviously my work over the winter had paid off. I was able to stay with the group the entire race and I had lots left at the finish. Honestly, it may have been too easy.

There isn't a novice category for Spring Series #2 at Aldergrove Lake, so I checked with the organizers and I'm now signed up to race with the C Group next weekend. I'm looking forward to the challenge of moving up into the faster group. Stay tuned to see how it unfolds!

There is more Spring Series #1 coverage from Escape Velocity here; some great photos from Doug Brons here; and read about Jon's thoughts on his first Spring Series race here.